Right on the heels of “waves” of COVID-19 is the largely ignored reality of the “Autism Wave” that is here to stay for good.
The BIG difference is that, unlike the “Corona waves”, this Autism Wave is not infectious and there is no vaccine to “protect you against it”.
Whenever I used to quote the MIT researchers prediction that warned us that at the current rates in the U.S ( the rates are almost similar in many other countries in the world) by the year 2025, one in two children are likely to be diagnosed with autism, I would be met with reactions ranging from boredom to disbelief and vehement denial “It surely cannot be this High!? This must be an exaggeration.’
Following the COVID pandemic that “levelled the playing ground” worldwide as far as vulnerability to death caused due to “pandemics” and/or the fear of the same is concerned and the shocking exposure of the inadequacies wrt the global health care “systems”, I decided to try out a Poll on Linkedin amongst professionals, to find out the current situation wrt the omnipresent “special schools”in different states ( not restricted to any particular country).
Below is the screenshot of the results of this poll and it only reinforces what is already expected wrt Autism Prevalence and Incidence globally – that it is only Rising by the day.
April being World Autism Awareness Month and April 2nd 2021 being World Autism Awareness Day, I think it is all more significant than ever to wake-up to the reality set to “Hit the world” on the heels of the ongoing Covid pandemic and presenting itself as the “Autism Wave” of “pandemic” proportions, very much here, ushering in the next stage in Human Evolution. This scenario was expected and predicted years ago by researchers in the field of Autism. BUT, what was unexpected is that this “Autism wave” would be preceeded and primed by a COVID “pandemic” that would go on to divide the world into two clear categories,namely, the vaccinated and the unvaccinated!
Who would have ever thought that inclusion and diversity would be replaced by just two terms dividing and identifying human race on the basis of vaccination alone, globally?! The terms being those who are “vaccinated” and those who are not. By choice or by ever heightened inequalities in vaccine access and distribution.
The Theme for World Autism Awareness Day 2021 is focussed on the need for Employment of those on the spectrum. What I would like to bring the attention back to is the Basics – With more and more “special schools” mushrooming gobally as an “alternative” education system in itself and with “exclusion” being encouraged at the foundatiional level itself, how effective is the “equal employment opportunities” Theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2021 going to be in the long-term?
What exactly is the DEFINITION of “mainstream schools” and “special schools”?
Why create this dichotomy when the human race is already hurtling towards a “post-covid world” where one in two children are likely to be diagnosed with Autism sooner than 2025 if the current rates continue?
What exactly is the Definition of a “neurotypical” child and an “autistic child”, now that the world is claerly divided into two categories based on the criteria of vaccination alone? ( BTW, I have not
even ventured anywhere near the volatile topic of “autism and vaccines” as that by itself would be another emotionally charged debate with no end in sight.)
What exactly is the stand of WHO on this impending “autism wave” waiting to unleash its presence and fury in a manner that is bound to leave ALL “health professionals” feeling powerless, helpless and clueless? As medical science is still wallowing in the depths of “trying to find the cause(s) of autism”?
And the list of questions could go on….
The answers?
Well, let the world and/or the “powers that be” DECIDE that Yes, the “Autism Wave” is indeed a Reality and could very well present itself as a “Tsunami loop” if ignored. Yes, everyone is exhausted and “pandemic fatigue” is the keyword for 2021. The irony could well be this – that awakening to the primal question of existence itself, namely, “Who Am I?” and “What Am I doing on this planet especially in these seemingly chaotic and confusing times?” could reveal the answers and solutions that the autistic children and beings on this planet are born wired into their DNA. Maybe THIS revelation could revive and rejuvenate the entire human race to actually start living on this “new earth” with fresh Energy and Enthusiasm, wanting to thrive on this planet as a new Human Species!
That again brings me to the Theme of the World Autism Awareness Day 2021. The paradox could well be this – By shining the light ( forget lighting up blue, why not shine a bright white light including the entire spectrum of colors that make up the white light) on the challenge of “Equal employment opportunities” for Autsitc people, it could be these very same autstic people who could come up with jobs/careers and earning and livelihood models based on eco-friendly and sustainable models and concepts that could pave way for a more evolved human species living on this “post covid” planet in harmony with nature and actually feeling alive and healthy in their physical bodies.
As the Universe had originally intended it to be.
And that could complete the Circle of this unending mystery called “life on planet earth”!
As a person acutely aware of the POWER in Autism, the most transformative of which being the Power of FOCUS, I choose to focus on ALL the positive things that these “covid waves” have unravelled. The “Autism Wave” being one of them.
2021 and beyond will be a world where Autistic beings thrive and the so called “neurotypical” ones learn to KNOW themselves as their WHOLE SELVES and while helping the autistic ones broaden their radar of Focus with more ease.
HOW is this possible?
Firstly, there is no more time to be lost in arguments and counter-arguments and surveys and statistics related to the “problem” of autism and IF this needs to be addressed now or pushed under the COVID conundrum ( which the WHO has already informed us that it is likley to last at least 10 years; don’t ask me- then how can you call that a wave? No idea! ask the WHO). 2021 is the year to step beyond Autism Awareness and take a LEAP into the Autism SOLUTION.
Secondly, the way to make autistic people “employable” and/or financially independent is to catch them early, recognize their talents and gifts ( you need to be able to first have the eyes to be able to SEE these talents and gifts), customize their learning models in a manner that augments and accelerates their already enhanced intelligence and SIMPLY ALLOW them to Thrive! Yes, ALLOW them to Bloom instead of forcing them to fit into already dysfunctional education models that have only collapsed in the wake of this COVID pandemic.
And to that you need to learn how to do all the above and more and learn to ALLOW them to Bloom, which is a combination of Art and Science in action each moment. Being alive, aware and awake. With the Energy available to do this amidst this COVID Fatigue (real or imagined).
One way to do this would be to explore and get certified in the Autism Solutions Facilitator training program with certification and opportunities to work from home. And ironically, make yourself employable while you learn how to make the autistic children/people employable/financially independent brimming with confidence of not just surviving but thriving on this New Earth.
And Thirdly, empower the autistic children through Early Intervention using customizable programs such as the Autism Solutions EVOLVE program that is transforming the entire educational approach wrt Autism and other learning disabilities worldwide: Evolve Program
The time is NOW to stop Fighting for anything and everything relating to autism and start CREATING a parallel reality FOR Autistic Beings to Thrive as their Birthright and OWN what they truly deserve instead of having to push against enormous walls of ignorance, apathy, condescension to name a few.
In no time, the rest of the world will want to join this new parallel reality and why not? As this reality on this new earth is one of peace, joy, creativity, intelligence, expansion and more. All powered by the immense power of Focus that autistic beings are born encoded in their DNA.
In 2021, the UN has chosen Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World.
